As all other bloggers have mentioned, time really does fly. In two weeks I’ll be sitting back at home and hoping that we can have a decent summer. But for now, it is still Erasmus. What’s more, it’s exam time. Exams started on the 6th of April and will end on the 27th for me. Lots more time to prepare but also lots of lazy days when you are looking to go out but either Erasmus friends or myself have exams. Unfortunately that leads to little excitement.
Some have finished their exams and will be leaving this week with the first of many “bye-bye” parties (inventive name, I know) taking place on Wednesday. I have been forewarned by fellow Erasmus students that were here at Christmas that these are not the easiest to take.
For one exam we did have to learn the quote from Theodore Zeldin “A shared experience is more than a bond, it is a joint discovery of unexpected possibilities.” Some of the studying has paid off… And the quote also explains the bond that I can feel between all here. It is an experience that will only happen once and it is something we have all experienced together and we will forever be friends because of it.
The evolution of technology and social networking has also lessened the impact of farewells. I believe 10 years ago, even 5, occasions like the bye-bye parties would be very upsetting times realising that you won’t hear or see someone again. Nowadays, I will say goodbye to many good friends but not forever. All Erasmus students have been handed the invite to Ireland and will have many places to stay and many tour guides to show them around the country and the same invite has been extended to us which leaves much travelling to be done.
Facebook will be utilised on return home to ensure that contacts are kept fresh and friendships can last. I’ll be home in two weeks but that is definitely not the end.
April 24th, 2009
Hey,
So its Week 12 already and no one can believe how fast the three years have gone by, never mind this semester, its incredible yet a huge amount of material was covered in each module, unfortunately for us as we prepare for the final exams in two weeks time. We are also preparing to leave the lovely Quinn behind as we embark onto further study or jobs, both nostalgia and a sense of excitement is in the air. However, I’d love to stay for another year and others have said the same, which is a testament to the Quinn experience, the lecturers, staff, students and building all make for a warm and welcoming atmosphere which is difficult to say goodbye to!
As usual for exam time, the sun is shining and we have to forfeit this rare warm weather in favour of books, notes and highlighters but it should all be worth it in the end! We had a lovely night out last week for the Farewell Ball where all final year Quinn Students and lecturers enjoyed great food, speeches, spot prizes and dancing in the Royal Marine Hotel, definitely a night to remember! One lucky birthday girl even got 500 people singing happy birthday to her and got a huge chocolate cake!
So while exams beckon, there is always room for some fun and relaxation!!
Talk soon,
Róisín
April 21st, 2009
We’re into our final two weeks of lectures now. Time really does fly.. it only seems like yesterday that we were starting college! The last week or so has been quite hectic (as most weeks are in final year). We had a case study to complete as part of our continuous assessment for Strategy Formulation and Implementation which was challenging given the time constraints, however, it was good preparation for the exam which was a bonus! it also was a nice way to apply what we had learned so far to the case itself.
Last Wednesday was the presentation of prizes for the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants Case Study which my team were lucky enough to win. The presentation involved the presentation of the prizes themselves along with taking some photos first and then up to one of the boardrooms in Quinn for lunch with representatives from the LSCA and our lecturer, Prof. Peter Clarke.
Tomorrow we have the farewell ball which is taking place in Dún Laoghaire at 7 o’clock even though lectures only finish at 6 for some of us! It’ll be a bit of a rush although buses have been organised so it won’t be so bad. Some of our lecturers for our Friday classes have been very accommodating and have rescheduled our classes for different days so we don’t have to worry about coming in early on Friday! Although in some cases I think its more so the lecturers themselves don’t have to come in after the ball!!! In any case we’re all looking forward to it, lecturers included.
Fionn
April 15th, 2009
My oh my, time sure does fly!!! We regret to inform our loyal readers that only three weeks remain of our glorious blog sessions. We like to think of them as a modern day, Fireside Chat of sorts. Make your own assumptions.
Since our last blog Emma was able to bask in the familial comfort of her visiting parents and sister…and brother in law. They visited County Donegal and were amazed by the spectacular scenery, i.e Tara’s Hill, Glenveagh National Forest/Castle, and quaint authentic thatched roof houses. It was great craic, but all good things must come to an end. The family jet-setted early this a.m. back to the U.S.
Currently Caroline and Emma are sitting in Insomnia cursing their ill-fated muffinlessness. Although Insomnia offers a great study local as well as delectable delights, the staff here don’t quite mirror that same convenience. The two of us were ill-informed one day about the muffins. We were told that to preserve the freshness of their products, Insomnia threw out all the muffins at the end of the day,that were not yoghurt based, and would readily give them away to their patrons free of charge. As poor college kids, we were quite obviously delighted. However, it’s a farce! We have yet to receive these aforementioned muffins and instead receive harsh glares and quizzical eyebrow raises upon our weekly inquiries. They haven’t a clue what we’re asking even though they initially made the offer. What say you, Insomnia?
We just had to get that off our chest.
As previously mentioned in our tribute to P.S. I Love You, blog, we have set out to find our future husbands of the Irish nationality. Caroline has been the only one of the two to make progress on this front. At Whelans, ironically, she and a friendly chap (the one whose name we couldn’t pronounce) hit it off and have had several additional “outings”. As much of a delight as he is, he doesn’t appear to be the future husband of the Irish variety. However, tonight at the Erasmus partizzle we are fo shizzle gonna meet someone that is fo rizzle.
Enough boy-talk. We are normal human beings; we are not ‘boy-crazy’ teens.
Upon Easter weekend Caroline will be jetting off to Copenhagen, Denmark and has not a clue what she will embark upon. However, she will be rendezvousing will aforementioned friend Kari of Pari. The two of them plan on spending lots of quality time together as well as spending lots-o-cash. Apparently Copenhagen will put a dent in your wallet as it is one of the world’s most expensive cities. Rats!
Emma on the other hand, will be cycling across the Aran Islands with her roomie, Jacquie, and some random international kiddos. Hopefully the weather will be as glorious as it is today.
Last Thursday, before Emma’s family came, Caroline and Emma had a family night of their own—roommate style! The weather was so glorious that they decided to gather up the troops and enjoy dinner along the canal. Heavenly! The company was grand and the patio overlooking the rippling brown waters with mother ducks and their ducklings enjoying the rebirth of spring was superb. Although Emma and Caroline have a brother-sister relationship with their roommates, the night followed a dating-esque scheme. After dinner we all headed to Savoy Cinema whereupon we viewed the joyously hilarious film, The Boat That Rocked. Rocked it did. Not only were the jams absolutely energizing and nostalgic but the comedic British cast were wildly entertaining! We left the theatre on a high that lasted through the walk home. Five stars, most definitely.
Though the flick was great the company was even better. Our roommates will be painfully missed upon the end of our stay here in Dub Town. Speaking of roommates, our two dude roomies after trekking around Europe for 10 days returned to us even more rugged than before and almost unrecognizable. Our house as we’ve mentioned before has turned into quite the youth hostel so when the two gents rang our bell Caroline answered and found them transformed. The two of them had miraculously sprouted quite impressive beards and looked at least five years older and wiser. Matt quickly found his way to the local barber and returned to his clean-shaven self. While Andy, on the other hand is becoming hairier by the day. His beard coupled with his heel-clicking capabilities and spritely personality will soon turn him into a leprechaun; we’re convinced of it.
Log on next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin.
Slan!
E and C
April 8th, 2009
Bonjour á tout,
It’s into our last month now and kinda scary that the time has passed by so quickly. There is a sense about the place over reflecting on our time here. People are starting to talk about going home and that brings with it a whole range of paradoxical emotions - happy to go home, sad to leave.
It has been an amazing time here over the past few months but it hasn’t been without its problems. The most recent ones have involved our accommodation and our landlord. I won’t bore you with the problems but admit that even all the problems have been worth it. The problems that have arisen are new adventures too, sometimes not in the good sense but we can all learn from our problems and failings and that has been ever-present recently.
When planning the trip and starting to look at accommodation, my mum asked if I’d like to go over and have a look in the flesh. I laughed at the idea, in a way sort of saying, “don’t be stupid mum.” Now, I am forced to admit defeat, my mum was right.. again, but keep it quiet.
It is the first time I have ever lived away from home and that is a challenge in itself but one which I have learned enormously from. Never will I make mistakes that I have made here again. I don’t want to sound too moany, as a whole, the apartment is grand, but it is not without it’s little kinks that had I been a bit more prepared could have been dealt with early.
So, for anyone thinking of going on Erasmus, make sure you talk to a number of people about how they found the experience. I was given this opportunity but didn’t take it. Had I heard advice from the mouth of a fellow-student as opposed to my mum, I may have listened a bit more.
Erasmus is a challenge, there are many little problems along the way but each of them brings with it its own unique opportunity to learn from your mistakes and experiences and provide the life-learning we hear so much about. I have learned so much over here that is un-examinable in academic terms.
As I’m sure you’re all well aware, it’s not all about exams!
Talk soon
Eoghan
April 8th, 2009
So, by now we have settled back into the mundane routine that is our life, but we do not settle for anything below brilliant! Coming down from the high which was Spring Break ’09 we decided to shake it back up a bit!
Caroline enjoyed a relaxing yet fulfilling week of being pampered by her mom and close friend… delicious meals, fabulous accommodations, and the love from a mother was well deserved and received after months of separation. She went to beautiful Galway and Connemara for a weekend trip and reveled in yummy seafood dinners and quaint B&Bs. After her family’s departure, Caroline was thrown back into roommate living.
To pay homage to the film P.S. I Love You (it wasn’t the best movie, but when in Ireland, right?) we decided to relive Hilary Swank’s experiences, starting with a night on the town. We headed to Whelan’s with our roommate, Kate, and were pleasantly surprised by all the locals between the multiplicity of rooms. Six hours later, we emerged from the pub confused by the daylight savings time change and at least 4 hours of the 6 are unaccounted for… even in our semi-sober state. Time flies when you’re reliving a movie. Regardless, we had a blast! Whelan’s delivered, and without a cover charge before 10:30pm. Needless to say, we didn’t leave wearing the leather jacket of our future husband or with a song dedicated to us… unlike H. Swank. But the local lads we did meet were quite eccentric. Of the three, we still can’t pronounce the authentic Irish name of one, and the other two we dubbed the Tall Arrogant One, and The Cynical Ginger. It was good craic.
On the way home, still confused by falling into a blackhole of time, we stumbled into Harry’s Diner where we proceeded to gorge on a bag of chips. Fortunate for us, the people next to us were a little less hungry and left their Deluxe Chips for the taking. When opportunity knocks… we say pass me the fork! Without hesitation the three of us proceeded to lick their platter clean. Don’t worry readers, we supplied our own sterile utensils.
Sunday we set out on Part 2 of our Hilary Swank reenactment, sans the Wicklow Mountains. We ventured instead to the quaint sea town of Greystones, and were pleasantly surprised. Not only did the town provide a gratifying atmosphere, but the Happy Pear did a number for us! Between all the inspirational quotes, organic soups and delectable dishes, the true treat was the “pear” of twins who owned the establishment! Delicious! Possibly the best part of our experience. We set out to meet our future hubbys, and similar to H. Swank’s experience, we succeeded… they just don’t know it yet. Sure, our interaction was brief, but no less magical. We plan on returning and fortifying the relationships. We hesitate to even speak of the Happy Pear, because we know all of our readers will rush to whisk them away from us… we trust you will respect our wishes and LAY OFF!
Kind regards,
E and C
P.S… Log on next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin! Slan!
April 1st, 2009
Finally we’re starting to have some nice weather, and just as the amount of time being spent on assignments and study is being increased! Typical! The few days since we’ve been back from midterm have been very busy with continuous assessment exams along with various other work and events.
This morning, we had a Student/Staff Consultative Forum, where a representative from each class meets with the Subject Heads to discuss issues that have arisen and things that are working well and not so well so that there is continuous improvement in how the courses are run each year. The lecturers are very nice and approachable so that issues generally are resolved outside of these meetings but it is nice to have them to also get feedback on the progress of the class in general.
Last week Séan Gallagher of Dragon’s Den fame was in NovaUCD giving a talk as part of the Entrepreneurs Live series that is run each semester where entrepreneurs are invited in to give a talk about how they set up their business along with insights and tips for any one thinking of setting up their own business. They are very interesting to listen to and a lot of good quality advice can be picked up to add to the Entrepreneurship courses that are run in Quinn. Podcasts of recent talks can be found here.
We also had two case study competitions being run by Professor Peter Clarke who has put a lot of time and effort into the organisation of both the competition and the cases themselves. The case studies were given to us the week before the break. One case was only open to students of the Advanced Management Accounting course as it is an accounting case study, kindly sponsored by the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants with cash prizes for the winning teams. It also served as a portion of study for the final exam which is an added benefit! The finalists will probably have to present on their findings once it is announced.
The second case study was open to any one although the teams needed some Accounting specialisation students as there were significant accounting issues in it. The prize for this case study was to represent UCD at the Irish finals of the CIMA Global Business Challenge, where the winning team will go on to represent Ireland in Singapore in the Global Final.
The case study we had for that was an interesting challenge which required preparing a report on various issues that the specific company was facing which was due before the break. Teams were then shortlisted after that and presentations to select the winning team were held last week. Our team learned a lot at the Marshall Case Study Competition particularly in the area of giving presentations and fortunately our hard work in improving this since returning from MICC has paid off as we were selected for the CIMA competition. This competition is slightly different as it is held in one day in the Quinn School of Business (on the 13th of June) and we are also given the case study beforehand which is based on the TOPCIMA exam, however, as in the exam there will be slight adjustments made to the case on the day.The case study can be found here if you fancy seeing what they are like.
The case studies are a great opportunity for students to apply what they have learned through the years and see if they could solve real life business problems. Most classes use case studies as part of the learning experience but I would highly recommend that students participate in the competitions in Quinn even in first year. While you may not win, as was the case with our team in our first year in the competition to represent UCD at Marshall. it will definitely stand you in good stead in the future, both in exams and in other competitions. As Séan Gallagher said at his talk last week, “you should not be afraid to fail, as it is how you learn“. This was definitely what happened in our case as the learning experience are huge both in analysing business situations, to generating realistic solutions and even in presenting resulting in us winning the second time round. Also, it is a great topic for interviews, employers love talking about case competitions as they are times when you have worked under pressure in a business situation. Also, if anyone has any questions, please leave a comment and we would be more than happy to answer!
Fionn
April 1st, 2009
The Grand Slam and Paddy’s day all in the one week. Rennes must have been worried. I don’t think there is anything like experiencing our native holiday in another country. All the attention is on you! All the smiles and the drinks are heading your way and you have to live up to the call. And so we did. Party all day (And I mean All Day) in our apartment with plenty of alcohol of all sorts drunk.
We did take some time out of our apartment to wander through the streets of Rennes all decked out in Irish jerseys and various things green. All our friends were Irish for the day and glad of it. We had to stop off in O’Connells, one of the many Irish pubs in Rennes. They are all over the place but so far this is the only one that we have found that actually has Irish people behind the bar and showed all our Rugby triumphs.
The Atmosphere was always friendly and the staff glad to have us. We were there for the France England, with our friends from across the water as they say, supporting England for the day (Don’t judge me!) After the match ended we decided to have the “one more pint” that ended up lasting for a few more hours and a few more drinks. We also got pizza delivered to the pub where we were more than welcome to sit inside eating and just hanging out. This was a strange experience as never before have I been to a pub that would happily let you sit with food from another establishment. They treated us so well we had to go back for Paddy’s day where they spoiled us further with various green hats, glasses and sponge guinness- like a stress ball.
Unfortunately I wasn’t there for the Grand Slam triumph, visiting family over in England. Of course I caught the match and was made aware of the celebrations taking place in Rennes with a few more drinks had that night.
The time is flying by, I have booked my flights home, unfortunately the cheapest flights mean I have to fly into the people’s republic of Cork but we all have to make sacrifices from time to time : ) I’m looking forward to coming home and catch up with all the gang in UCD and at home but not looking forward to leaving Rennes and all Erasmus friends so soon. It will be a busy month with a few exams, goodbye’s and the usual parties.
As the time draws towards a close I have started to think about the whole experience. If given the opportunity to go on Erasmus it really is one you have to grab and I would reccommend it to everyone. There is many great times and also plenty of life-learning experiences. An opportunity definitely not to be missed.
Talk Soon
Eoghan
March 27th, 2009
Returning from the relaxation of Paris, we were rudely awakened by the disrupting reality of what was awaiting us back in Dublin: St. Patrick’s Day Madness!!! Don’t get us wrong, we were STOKED to spend such an historical day in the country of its origin, however our house was transformed into a youth hostel—nothing like the one we’d just stayed in. These guests were nothing like the 12 and under we were exposed to before but rather 20 college kids in one house eager to explore the Irish culture and its nightlife!
It’s all basically a haze, especially since Emma’s family was visiting at the same time AND our roommate welcomed the celebration of his 21st birthday the night before St. Patty’s but Dublin doesn’t fool around with tradition! The streets were a sea of green and it was basically impossible not to bump in to some stumbling pedestrian who’d been drinking the good stuff since the early am. Temple Bar. Insane. Lots of People. Lots of green. Lots of Guinness. The pubs were overflowing with animated leprechaun lovers excited to perpetually celebrate the holiday Irish-style! Almost better than the parade itself was the carnival festivities located in Merrion Square—mere blocks away from our comfy abode (nobody stalk us, please). It was catered towards a more familial, younger crowd, but even so we enjoyed a nice dollop of ice cream and a lovely stroll in the brilliant weather!!! Dublin sure delivered on the weather and it was a delight to show our guests how accommodating the weather is to visiting foreigners. Springtime in Dublin is a beaut!
As much as we enjoyed the holiday it was a relief to have the calm return after the storm. We prefer the city sans-tourists and delight in having oxygen once more after the six dwellers that occupied our floor vacated.
Honestly, it was quite difficult to return today back to collegiate lifestyle. Darn you, responsibility! Even so, we both have grown quite fond of the campus, our radio show (odd we never mentioned this before, but we have a radio show on Belfield FM titled Queens of the Airwaves –aka… US! Do tune in every Tuesday 6-7 pm. We are now officially on the FM frequency. Thanks for the plug, UCD Bloggers!), and the bi-weekly meetings provided by the study abroad Quinn school (free info and free FOOD and COFFEE!).
Slan!
Tune in next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin!
E and C
March 24th, 2009
Paris, we “louvre” you! At the onset of our well-deserved two-week break from UCD we jetted off to the lovely City of Lights: Gay Pari!!! Every cliché stereotype was completely dead-on in that magical city. We stayed in a charming hostel in the Latin Quarter (Le Fourcy for any of you who plan on taking a trip). This hostel was unlike any other hostel. “Youth Hostel” was a bit of an understatement as the joint was crawling with , little ones (not the leprechauns you find here) but rather 12 and under kiddos. We were unaffected, however, as the two of us shared our very own boudoir complete with its very own shower…and breakfast (two very uncommon amenities in hostel-living).
Paris
We explored the city and rendezvoused with Kari, who visited Dub town only a week prior. She showed us the same hospitality we showed her and took us to all the non-tourist neighbourhoods where we enjoyed many a crepe and a true ‘taste’ of Parisian lifestyles! Later, after reveling in the majesty of the Eiffel Tower the two of us headed down to the River Seine to enjoy the setting sun, gelato, and the far off melodies of a saxophone. Too bad we were the only non-couple sitting there. That’s the only thing Paris didn’t deliver on—romance. Regardless, we were still very taken by the city. Favorite places, you ask? Hahaha. Well, Montmartre for starters was absolutely adorable complete with bustling cafes and the Sacre Coeur. Drawback? We were badgered by conniving tourist trappers who many a poor soul fell victim to. Watch out for the guys who attempt to tie a string on your finger. It’s not free, in spite of what they say!
Paris
Down the river from the Latin Quarter, in a darling neighbourhood we enjoyed a delectable artichoke tart while sitting elbow-to-elbow amongst friendly French locals!!! The cuisine was divine and so was the experience of eating in a typical French restaurant!
For those on a budget, we recommend the free four-hour walking tour that meets near the fountain near St. Michel. The tour guides are very animated and full of information. Wear comfy shoes! Three days was no where near enough time to spend in one of the most iconic cities in the world. We left already wanting to return and wishing we spoke more French. There’s so much to see and do!
Slan!
Tune in next time for more lasting impressions of our impressions of Dublin!
E and C
March 24th, 2009
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